Demigods + Wizards = ???

Chapter 9

Hey guys! Before we start, I want to say sorry - it's taking them forever to get to Hogwarts (just like in the HP movies!) but we really need wizard/demigod bonding because *this spoiler has been censored to prevent disclosure of future essential plot points.* Enjoy! ;)

 HARRY POV

"So, you lot are from America," said George at the dinner table that night. The exchange students had spent the day "unpacking," which mostly involved a lot of loud arguments, followed by laughter, and a good amount of crashing around. I was fairly certain they had gotten next to nothing done. 

"Yep," said Percy, leaning back from where he had been shoveling Mrs. Weasley's cooking into his mouth. "New York, to be precise - except for Frank and Hazel, they occasionally hang around California. It depends on the season." 

"What's school like over there?" George asked - it was out of courtesy, I could see, not real interest, but that was okay. The exchanges seemed to know that too. 

"Like school," said Leo impishly. "Except with magic and stuff." 

George rolled his eyes, grinning. "Well, I'd figured that much out on my own, thanks." 

"Except it isn't, really," said Ginny, butting in. "It's not even really like Hogwarts. They teach them to fight with swords and things." 

"Swords?" asked George. 

"Sure," said Percy, reaching into his pocket. "Like-"

"NOT at the dinner table, dear!" cried Mrs. Weasley hurriedly from the end of the table. 

"Yes, maybe you should show him, er, outside, when dinner is finished," said Mr. Weasley with a slight smile. 

Annabeth looked exasperatedly at Percy. "You weren't really going to pull Riptide out at the table, were you?" 

"Nah," he said, twirling his pen through his fingers. "That would be stupid." 

"Maybe even Seaweed-brained," said the blonde, shooting her boyfriend a look. 

"Maybe even," he replied, putting his pen back in his pocket. 

"Wait-" said George, his interest captured now. "That pen- turns into a sword?" 

"A more accurate way of putting it might be that that pen is a sword," said Annabeth absentmindedly, "pretending to be a pen." 

"Well," said Ron, "this is over my head. Mum, what's for dessert?" 

Mrs. Weasley shook her head in response, but she was smiling and a moment later she waved her wand, and in place of dinner was a rather large cake. The most striking thing about it, though, was that it appeared to be entirely bright blue. 

The next thing I noticed was that Percy's eyes seemed to be growing very wide. 

"It's blue!" said the American, staring at it adoringly. 

"Percy, dear," said Annabeth, watching him with one eyebrow raised, "we can see that it's blue. Just take deep breaths." Leo snorted at this point, and most of the other exchange students seemed to be suppressing laughter as well. 

"What's with him?" I asked, turning to Frank. 

"He's got a thing about blue food," he said, rolling his eyes. "I've never heard the story itself, but I've been told it started as a kind of a passive aggressive thing against his stepdad." 

"Right you are, my friend," said Percy, having torn his gaze away from the cake (which seemed to be Annabeth's serious competition at this point) long enough to reply. "I hated that guy - so when he said there was no such thing as blue food, well, that crossed the line. My mom and I went out of the way to eat blue food whenever we could." 

"Hated, past tense?" asked Hermione - I wasn't sure how she had picked out such a miniscule detail, but now I was curious too. 

"He disappeared one day," said Percy offhandedly. "He's been gone so long, we just assume he's dead - my mom remarried, but the blue food thing stayed." 

"That's sweet," said Ginny. "I mean, about the blue food." 

"I guess," said Percy thoughtfully. 

The two weeks before the start of school passed by faster than they may have ever before, what with the exchange students teaching us hand to hand combat, and Percy and Leo keeping things light, and Annabeth to keep Hermione company - regardless of any suspicious gaps in information, no one could deny that the Americans were pretty great company. Piper and Ginny had become good friends, and Annabeth and Hermione were really close. 

Surprisingly enough, Hazel was the one who became close to George, and one could often see them talking together. This made Mrs. Weasley reasonably happy, as, in her words "he hadn't been quite the same" since the Battle of Hogwarts. In all, the exchange students got on quite well at the Weasleys' house, and before we knew it, it was time to go back to Hogwarts.

Okay, guys - Hogwarts next chapter! Yaay! This is a bit short, yes, but I do feel bad that it's taken them so long to get to the actual main setting, so - it's coming! Anywho, hope you liked, and see ya next time! 

P.S. Please, please tell me if anyone is out of character - because I've never written anything for Harry Potter before, so if anyone from the HP series (or the HOO series, just because I write them more doesn't mean I can't get them wrong) seems *off* to you, let me know! Thanks!